Emergency attachment for automatic car-couplings.



No. 820,644. PATENTBD MAY 15, 1906.

J. A. HINSON, DEUD. M. HINSON, ADMINISTRATRIX.

EMERGENCY ATTACHMENT FOR AUTOMATIC GAR COUPLINGS. APPLICATION TILED AUG. 19. 1903.

a sH'nnTssHEBT 1.

l'uke rota 1*:

No. 820,644. PATENTED MAY 15, 1906.

J. A. HINSON, DEGD.

M. HINSON, ADMINISTRATRIX.

) EMERGENCY ATTACHMENT FOR AUTOMATIC GAR. COUPLINGS.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 19, 1903.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Witrwaoe 98 In rental": 0C Jazmwflfliuaon No. 820,644. PATENTED MAY 15, 1906.

J. A. HINSON, DECD. M. HINSON, ADMINIBTRATEIX. EMERGENCY ATTACHMENT FOR AUTOMATIC GAR COUPLINGS.

APPLICATION I'ILE 90 D AUG 19 1 3 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

' UNITED S'TATEST OFFICE.

JAMES A. .l-lINSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS; MARGARET HINSON, ADMIN- ISTRATBIX OF SAID JAMES A. HINSON, DECEASED, -ASSIGNOR TO NATIONAL CAR COUPLER COMPANY,

CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A

EMERGENCY ATTACHMENT FOR AUTOMATIC CAR-COUPLINGS.

No. 820,6&&.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 19,

Patented May 15, 1906.

1903. Serial No. 169.995.

' exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and'to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this s ecification.

This invention re ates to improvements in railway-car couplers, and refers more specifically to a novel device in the nature of an emergency attachmentwhich is adapted to take the place of a broken ordisabledknuckle and so constructed as to be coupled to any of the standard couplers of the vertical-plane type or couplers having the general form and constructlon of such type. The invention conslsts 1n the matters hereinafter described and set forth, and more particulary pointed out in the appended claims.

view 0 In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of two couplers connected ,or coupled by means of my improved coupling attachment. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a coupler-head and my 'attachmentconnected therewith. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 1, the parts being in the osition which they assume when approac 'ng each other preparatory to coupling. Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the arts shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a plan f tw'o couplers connected by a modified form of my attachment. Fig. 6 is a side view of the construction shownin Fig. 5 with portions broken away.

- First referring to the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 4, A B designate the draw-heads of two couplers of the Master Car-Builderstype; The knuckle of the cou ler A is assumed to have been disable while the I knuckle B of the coupler Bpccupies its usual position in the draw-head, being hinged thereto in the usual manner. My novel emer gene attachment is designed to be hinged to v the raw-head A, which is minus its knuckle,

' and is constructedto be hinged between the jaws or ln s a, which in the complete coupler receives t e usual knuckle, to which it 1s means of a lock-pin C, which extends throu hinged by meansof the usual pivot-pin a.

tween the jaws or lugs a of the draw-head A, and said reduced part is vertically apertured to receive the hinge-pin a beforementioned. The forward end of the link C is recessed or cut away to form upper and lower jaws c c,

and the knuckle is reduced at c to fit between said jaws, and said knuckle is hinged to the link by means of a hinge-pin 0 which extends through registering apertures in said jaws and the reduced portion of the knuckle. Said knuckle is provided with a rearwardlydirected tailpiece C which when the knuckle is closed, occupies a cored-out recess 0 in the link. (Shown partially in full lines infFig. 2 and in dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 3.) The link is provided in said cored-out portion with a vertical aperture 0 and the tailpiece C .of the knuckle is provided with an aperture 0", which registers therewith when the knuckle is closed, and said knuckle is-locked closed b the said registering apertures 0 0 The tailpiece is provided with an extension C which when the knuckle is wholly open extends partially across the lock-bolt aperture 0 of the link, so as to support the lock-pin C in its raised or set position, and when the knuckle is swun closed the pin rides on said extension and the'tailpiece until the aperture 0 of said tailpiece registers with the lock-pin aperture of the link, whereupon the lock-pin drops into its locking position and automatically locks the knuckle closed. The knuckle C is provided with a stop-shoulder c, which is adapted to strike a stop-surface on the link to limit the opening movement of the knuckle.

The guard-arm C is provided on its forward or inner surface with a rearwardly-curvod notch or recess 0 which is so located as to al- :low. the knuckle B of the coupler B to pass freely into and out of the space between said 60 The rear end of said link is reduced to fit be i guard-arm and the knuckle C during cou lin and uncoupling, and thereby prevent t e en of said knuckle B binding against'said link guard-arm during such movements.

The forward end of said link is provided with ment from said coupler B notwithstanding the swinging attachment of said link-coupler with the head A. The parts referred to are made with a sufliciently loose fit toallow the same to pass into and be released from interfitting or coupling connection when the knuckles are unlocked but when said parts are coupled and the knuckles locked the release thereof cannot occur by the lateral swinging of the attachment on its axis relatively to the coupler B, forthe reason that such swinging of the attachment acts to force the projecting part c of said link into contact with the guard-arm B and the pressure between said parts will react to swing the outer endof the link guardarm into contact with the opposing part of the coupler-head B. Thus the link is held loosely but reliably in interlocking connection with the coupler-head B.

The position of the parts preparatory to making a coupling is shown in Fig. 3, with the exception that the lock-pin C will be supported on the projection C of the tailpiece of the link-knuckle. Upon movement together of the parts in the act of coupling the knuckle B strikes the'tailpiece C of the link-knuckle and swings the latter inwardly into interlocking connection with said knuckle B. When the knuckle B strikes the tailpiece of. the link-knuckle and begins to swing the same inwardly, the forward end of the link has passed the extreme end of the guard-arm B of the draw-head B .such distance that said link cannot in the further closing movement of the parts be swung laterall out of coupling-line with the head B, as t e guard-arms B C prevent the link swinging too far in one direction, and the en agement of the knuckles prevents the saidhink from swinging out of osition in the other direction.

n the construction shown, Figs. 5 and 6, the knuckle of the coupler attachment is made rigid instead of being hin ed, as in the construction just described. s shown in said figures, D and E designate the two drawheads, the latter having the usual swingingknuckle E and guard-arm E The emerenc coupler attachment consists of a shank F, W 'ch is hinged'at one end to the couplerhead I) by a hinge-pin d, as is the attachment of the previously-described construction, and provided at its other end with a rigid laterally-directed knuckle or hook and between 6 its ends with a laterally-directed guard-am coupler and also in the F generally parallel with said knuckle. The space between the rigid knuckle and guardarm receives the swinging knuckle of the draw-head E; The inner face of said guardarm F is provided with a rearWardly-curved recess f to permit the swinging knuckle to pass freely into and out of the space between said guard-arm and knuckle F during-the operation of coupling and uncoupling. The forward and laterally outer face of said attachment is provided with a projection which is adapted for engagement with the adjacent inner face of the guard-arm E and said 0 posing parts cooperate with the outer end 0 the link guard-arm and adjacent part of the coupler-head E to prevent the release of the intercoupledparts so lon as the swinging knuckle E of the head is ocked closed, these parts coacting, as do the like parts of the previously-described construction, to revent separation of the coupled parts. hen the arts are separated and in position for coup ing, (the swinging knuckle E being at this time 0 en,) the rigid knuckle of the attachment rst strikes the tailpiece of said swinging knuckle and begins to close the same, said knuckle entering the space between'said rigid knuckle and the guard-arm F From an inspection of the parts it will be observed that when the rigid knuckle is in osition for engagement with-the swinging niickle-tailpiece it has passed inside the outer end of the guard-arm E sufficiently far to prevent its being swung laterally out of coupling-line about its hinge-pin d, for any tendency to lateral deflection toward the guard-arm E will be arrested by contact of the extension f of said attachment with the inner face of said guard-arm. If such-lateral swingin of the attachment should occur, resulting 1n the contact of the extension f thereof with the guard-arm, the coacting 1nclined faces of said parts will result in guiding the attachment into its proper coupling position with respect to the complete couplerj Conveniently the strengthening-rib f 2 is hollowed to constitutea handle by which the attachment may be carried. The similar strengthening rib or ribs of the attachment first described may be likewise formed to provide such a handle.

in practice the locomotive of a train will be e nipped with'a number of the emergency coup er attachments described, and in the eventof the breaka e of the knuckles of one or more of the coup ers on a trip the attachments described are at hand'to take the place of the disabled knuckles and constitute a con? nection which may be used in the same ma ir ner as an ordinary coupler to couple and'uncouple the cars of the train. An advantage I of the attachment 'described'lics in the ease in which it may be a plied to a disabled feet that the coupling and uncoupling oporationamay be automat r30 term,- but the part sodesi nated may ically accomplished thereby and without any unusual or hazardous movements or position on the part of the person doing the coupling. Another and important advantage arising from the use of the attachment is that it may be employed with all standard couplers in use, and it therefore becomes universal in its application.

. Changes may be made in the structural details without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I do not wish to be limited to such details except as hereinafter made the subjectof s ecific claims, nor is the term link herelnbefore employed to designate .the attachment to be considered as a limitirgg e made of any form most suita le for its application in each particular instance.

I claim as my invention- 1. In automatic car-couplers, an emergencv coupling attachment designed to.

closely and interchangeably fit at one end in.

coupling engagement with all forms 30f the vertical-plane type of coupler having a rotative hook or knuckle and provided at its other end with an 0 ening to receive a V61l3l0 .-l pivotin b w ch it is adapted .to be connecte wit another cou ler, a couplingknuckle or analogous .couplin device.

- 2. In automatic car-coup ers, an emerency coupler attachment designed to bev gpd atone end to the drawheadin place t e usual swinging knuckle, and provided at its other end with a hook and with a guardarm, the hook being adapted to closely and interchangeably fit-and to beautoinatically coupled to all forms of the vertical ty e of coupler having a rotative hook or knucl e.

3. In automatic car-couplers, an emerency coupler attachment designed to be 'nged at one end to the draw-head in place of the usual knuckle, and provided at its other end with a knuckle adapted to automatically intercouple with the rotating knuckle of an adjacent coupler in a manner to retain the intercoupled draw-heads in substantial alinement with each other.

4. In automatic carcouplers, an emergencycoupler attachment, designed to be hin ed at one end tothe draw head in place oft eusual knuckle, andprovided at its other end with a rigid knuckle and in rear of said knuckle with a uide-arm, said rigid knuckle and guide-arm eing adapted to automatically intercouple with the rotating knuckle of an adjacent coupler in a manner to retain the draw-heads in substantial alinement with each other. g

5. -In automatic car-couplers an emergency coupler attachment designed to beloosely connected With the draw-head to swing later ally and provided at its outer end with av knuckle and in rear of said knuckle with a guard-arm, the inner face of said guard-arm the rear. surface of said guard member.

' notch.

6. In automatic car-couplers an emergency coupler attachment designed to be loosely V connected with the draw-head and rovided at its outer end with a knuckle, sai attach-" ment being provided at its forward end withan extension adapted for contact with'the guard-arm of an interlocking coupler to prevent said parts from uncoupling.

' 7. In automatic car-couplers a emergency coupler attachment designed to be loosely. connected with the draw-head and rovided at its outer end with a knuckle and in rear. of said knuckle with a guard-arm, said attachment being provided at its forward end with an extension ada ted for contact with the guard-arm of an nterlocked coupler to prevent said parts from uncoupling.

8. In automatic car-couplers, an emergency coupling attachment designed to be oosely connected with the 1 draw-head and rovided with a knuckle and-in rear of said .nuokle with a guard-arm, said guard-arm arm of an intercoupled draw-head to prevent separation of said coupled arts.

9. In automatic car-coup ers anemergency with a knuckle and with a guard-arm, said coupling attachment designedto be loosely connected with the draw-head and provided guard-arm bein formed to provide a handle by which the linmay be carried. I I

10. In automatic car -couplers, an emergency coupling attachment designed to be loosely connected with the draw-head to swin freely laterally and'provided with a knuc e designed to closely interlock with the knuckle of an adjacent coupler, said attach ment being provided with a thickened part having an inclined guide-surface which engages the guard-arm of said adjacent coupler and actin to prevent lateralse aration-of said attacIiment and cou'ler so ong as the knuckle of said coupler is ocked closed. 11; Anemergency car coupler knuckle comprising a lug adapted to be pivoted between the ears of a coupler head, a guard member extending from the lug and forming with the knuckle-head a space to receive the head of the knuckle of a cooperating coupler, and a web extending between said lug and In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I aifix my signature,in presence of two witnesses, this 5th day of August, A.

JAMES A. HINSON. Wi tnesses':

WILLIAM L HALL, GEORGE R. W ILKINS: 

